After a 4-hour standoff with a man suspected of pointing a gun at people in Exposition Park, SWAT officers cleared the second floor of a dual-use building at 30th and Flower, where the man was held up.
It started at 10 a.m. when officers responded to the 3000 block of South Flower St. following a report that a suspect had pointed a gun at someone entering a barbershop below his apartment, and then barricaded himself at the location.
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LAPD SWAT also responded to the scene with the man’s father to help make contact, but after an unsuccessful attempt to reach the suspect on the phone, they used a robot to go inside.
Lt James Doull with the LAPD Southwest Division tells KNX News' Pete Demetriou that the man they were looking for was gone, but they did find some needed evidence to file a case against him.
"Systematic search was conducted," said Doull, "We recovered the firearm, but the suspect was gone."
Initial reports from the scene suggested the man was wielding a shotgun, but Doull clarified that an Assault Rifle was recovered.
Detectives have his name and a description, and when he is found, he'll likely face assault with a deadly weapon charges, along with firearm enhancements.
City News Service contributed to this report.
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